When they were up stairs Ria said, “What was your mom expecting? Whatever!! Do you actually think that she was telling the truth about us being sisters? There was something familiar about all these questions. Don’t you think?”


“I think she kind of was telling the truth but i’m not too sure.... How about you? Do you think it’s real?” Mia asked Ria.


“I think it’s true as well and it was awkward when she asked all those questions,” Ria said in reply, feeling confused.


“Good idea....... Come on let’s go!” Ria said with nervous look on her face. So, that was that and they ran off to Ria’s house to see his reaction to Mia. Would he give them more clues?


As they arrived at the palace, Ria said,”Now, do not say anything, until I say, ‘Hello, King Zukuri, can I please see my father?’ You only say, ‘Hello King Zukuri.’ Ok? Good. Let’s go.”


They proceeded to the King’s throne, and Mia did exactly what Ria said but to their surprise, King Zukuri said sharply, “No. Your dad is


“Yeah. Let’s recall the questions and see what else seems a little out of hand, ok. She asked you, ‘Ria, do you have a mom and a dad? Do you have any siblings? Have your parents told you any- thing that felt confusing to you?’ That all sounds really confusing, so let’s writeit down on paper. excitement.


I’ll get paper and pens!” Mia said in


Ria said in reply, “Alright! I’ll watch out in case your mom comes up here. No offense but she is quite weird and creepy, sorry.”


“No problem, I find my mom weird as well. She keeps saying, ‘Have you found anything out about something awkward when you were in town?’ She also says, ‘You have powers like your dad.’ Then she starts crying. Anything seem familiar?” Mia said to Ria, awkwardly.


“Yes, sort of. My dad asks whenever I come home from getting the fruits, ‘Anything unusual darling?’ or ‘You ok? You look just like your mother, so proper but so unusual.’ Seems kind of weird and then he also starts crying,” Ria said with a weird feeling. “Now go get that piece of paper!!”


But Mia had other ideas. “No. Maybe we should go to your dad and see how he reacts to my appearance. OK?” she said with a thinking voice.


busy with a visitor.” As much as Ria tried, King Zukuri just said no and she gave up. Then Mia tried to help and said in a brave and trembling voice, “It’s a very important meeting and... and... and we have to see him before 8 o’ clock. So please, just let us see him for a minute at least. Please.”


At that moment, the king received a message that Ria’s father was


available. They entered the adjacent room and opened the curtain. Ria’s dad froze and stared and then gasped and said in a soſt voice, “Mia, is it really you? Look how much you’ve grown! How are you, dear? Am I confusing you guys? Oh dear, I released the secret.”


Ria looked at Mia, and Mia did the same. They said at the same time, “What secret?!”


With the facts revealed, their dad told them everything. About how he and Mia’s mom were divorced, and how their names were nearly the same because they were twins. About how mother and father knew that things would have gotten too confusing if they let them know that they were sisters. And about how they just had to keep it a secret because he and their mother had had big fights in the past and didn’t want to let their daughters know about it. Then together, they went out of the castle and stood in the wind.


Everyone did what they did and the sand storm approached.


11


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